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Replacing the toilet is certainly not the most glamorous do-it-yourself project. Neither is it the hardest. Replacing a toilet is a job many intermediate do-it-yourselfers are willing to tackle. Of course, you have to buy a new toilet before you can replace the old one. Before you head out to the home store, arm yourself with a few measurements that you need when selecting a toilet. Having a helper makes this little job a breeze.

1

Raise the toilet seat to get it out of the way.

2

Place a 4-foot spirit level upright against the end of the bowl -- the farthest spot from the wall. Have your helper hold the level plumb. When the bubble is in the center of the glass tube, it is plumb. You can't take the measurement on top of the bowl because the tank is in the way.

3

Measure from the wall just above the toilet lid to the level with a tape measure. If the raised seat is in the way, measure just above it. This is your toilet's length

Things You Will Need

4-foot spirit level

Measuring tape

Tip

Another important toilet measurement is the distance from the wall to the bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. Measure from the wall to the center of the bolt caps. If there is a baseboard or a shoe molding, add the thickness of these to the measurement. This is the rough-in measurement.

About the Author

Robert Lewis has been writing do-it-yourself and garden-related articles since 2000. He holds a B.A. in history from the University of Maryland and has training experience in finance, garden center retailing and teaching English as a second language. Lewis is an antiques dealer specializing in Chinese and Japanese export porcelain.